North or South-Who Killed Reconstruction? Title: North or South: Who Killed Reconstruction? Paragraph 1 Grabber: It was a bad time following the Civil War . However, there was a sense of hope in the nation. Background: Civil War caused 600,000 deaths, destruction of the South. Nation reunited. Slavery ended. Blacks voted, held office, education. Reconstruction was plan to rebuild nation. R ended in 1877. Stating the question with key terms defined: Reconstruction means to rebuild. Who was responsible for the end of R? Thesis and Road Map: Although the South contributed to the end of R, Northern neglect was the most important cause for its end. Paragraph 2 Baby thesis for bucket one: White Southern resistance played a role in the death of R. Evidence: supporting detail from documents with document citation Letter from Albion Tourgee about KKK killings (Doc A, top) Cartoon showing government officials targeted by KKK (Doc A, bottom) testimony of Abram Colby about whipping/bribery (Doc B, top) Cartoon showing black voter intimidation (Doc B, bottom) Argument connecting evidence to the thesis. Argument will be presented in paragraph 4 Paragraph 3 Baby thesis for bucket two: Northern neglect also played a role in R’s end Evidence: supporting detail from documents with document citation Northerners distracted with corruption in Grant’s administration (Doc C, bottom) North grew tired of Reconstruction governments (Doc C) Economic crisis of 1876 shifted focus away from R (Doc C, top) Racism in North about black’s inability to serve in government (Doc D, top) Stereotypes of blacks in Harper’s Weekly cover: racism (Doc D) Argument connecting evidence to the thesis Argument is presented in paragraph 4. Paragraph 4 Conclusion: (Argument why North or South was more responsible for killing Reconstruction.) Documents A support the claim that southern resistance brought an end to Reconstruction. The main reason, however, that R came to an end was due to Northern neglect. Carpetbaggers, Reconstruction government officials, and ex-slaves were neglected because Northerners became more concerned with other issues and didn’t follow through on promises to protect the rights of freedmen as shown in documents C and D. The North ended slavery, but over time guarantees of civil rights for blacks were not enforced.